Continental Honors Its First Black Pilot

HOUSTON - It was 1963 when Captain Marlon Green became the first African-American pilot every hired by a major U.S. airline.

It was not an easy road.

The former Air Force pilot had logged thousands of hours in the air, applied at every commercial air carrier and had been rejected.

It would take another 6 years of legal battles, before the U.S. Supreme court ruled that no pilot applicant could be denied a job based on race.

Captain Green would go on to fly for Continental Airlines for 12 years before retiring.

Today, Continental honored Green, who passed away last year.

Later this month, some young Houston students will be on board the new Boeing that bears Captain Green's name, heading to the nation's capital on the wings of a legacy left by a principled and determined man.